Reviews

interesting movie

Amnesia has often been a key element in actions films and Yoon Jae-keun’s work also makes use of it to an entertaining effect here. The protagonist’s dilemma of trying to recall who he is while moving bodies is however a unique one and puts a fresh spin not just on the memory loss notion but on body swap too. The issue of identity, of course, is a key theme here as the hero tries to hold on to tiny threads to figure out his own true self, to emotions and memories that make him “him”. This is all rather high-concept in nature but Yoon doesn’t aim to rewrite the genre rulebook here and besides a few minor plotholes, manages to make the straight-forward story narration flow at a fast pace. Throw in one of Korean cinema’s favourite element, bureaucratic corruption, and it results in a decent mix.

“Spiritwalker” comes to life as soon as the action sequences start. Hand-to-hand combat, gun fights, car chases, foot chases- you name it, “Spiritwalker” has got it and got it good. If the close quarters fight sequence remind of the similarly amnesia themed The Bourne series, the large-scale action set pieces show off the production’s lavish scope. In general, the feature’s cinematography follows Hollywood standards but plays a big part in heightening the impact of the action sequences by keeping flowing camera movements and minimal edits which help highlight the stunt work. The climactic shootout particularly underlines these aspects well, in addition to showing off the impressive action choreography. The music also has an adequate but familiar feel,reminding of similar works in the genre.

Yoon Kye-sang was last seen in an action film as the antagonist in the smash-hit “The Outlaws” and the producers of that film clearly saw merit in his performance there, casting him in yet another production of theirs here. If his performance doesn’t have the dramatic effect that it did in the 2017 film, he fares a lot better in the action department. His portrayal of the confused man figuring out many things at once is believable and Yoon makes him likeable and easy to follow around, but it stops short of being memorable. The action, however, ensures that his work here remains impactful. Lim Ji-yeong gets a couple action sequences herself as Moon Jin-ah, the mysterious woman our protagonist’s story is somehow tied to. Park Yong-woo is mostly watchable as the antagonist Park, but an odd writing choice near the end makes the character, and thus Park’s performance, lose necessary gravitas.

Korean cinema seems to be on a mission to reinvent and make a name for itself in the action genre in recent years. “Spiritwalker” successfully manages to be an absorbing watch that takes an overused plot device and gives it a fresh spin and, in the process, manages to have its name registered alongside the select few impressive productions in the genre in recent years from the country.

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I placed any potential spoilers at the end of this review.

This has such an impactful story. It shines a light on the many misconceptions about gay men that society has and how everyone deals differently with confronting it. At the same time, it breaks some stereotypes some may have on certain communities. The acting was outstanding and the cinematography was beautiful. The script was excellent and had a very realistic ending. I only have three criticisms. See the potential spoiler alert at the bottom if you want more info.




******Potential Spoiler Alert******
1st criticism: This is supposed to be a sequel to a series (His - I Didn't Think I Would Fall in Love), but it has no real link to it. It does use the same main characters’ names and gives silent nods to the series (choice of clothing colors for the main characters for example), but that’s it.
2nd criticism: The movie does not completely explain the main characters past relationship. You have to rely on the movie’s description for this (hence the 3rd criticism).
3rd criticism: The description of the move does not completely match what happens in the movie. It mentions various things but does not actually show it in the movie. However, this seems to be a common thing on Viki.

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Super Cop is supposed to refer to Jackie Chan’s character in this movie but could just have easily been referring to Michelle Yeoh’s character.

Jackie Chan’s Chan Ka Kui from the previous Police Story films goes to China and teams up with Michelle Yeoh’s Captain Yang Chien Hua to go undercover and break Yuen Wah’s bad guy out of prison and join his brother’s (Kenneth Tsang) drug gang in order to take out the Big Bad. After being accepted into the gang, they all go to Malaysia and meet up with Lo Lieh’s drug general. Lots of shooting and things blowing up ensue. They also have to bust Tsang’s missus out of jail before she is executed because she’s the only one who knows the number to the Swiss bank account where a fortune in drug money is stashed. Along the way, they run into Chan’s tour guide girlfriend (Maggie Cheung) who blows his cover because she is the dumbest girlfriend in cinema history.

The plot isn’t very strong or consistent. Most people don’t watch Chan’s movies for the plot anyway. The action is slightly different in some places because it relies more on guns and explosions. If you enjoy Chan’s comedy schtick, it’s dialed back here, but should be still enough to satisfy you. As always, the draw to his movies are the insanely dangerous stunts he performs mostly himself. Super Cop is not short on them. The bonus is that Michelle Yeoh performs most of her own death-defying stunts as well.

Chan gave his usual manic performance, though he didn’t mug as hard for the camera in this one. Michelle Yeoh’s gravitas made an excellent foil for him to play against and there was never any question that it was a partnership of equals. The two had good screen chemistry with Yeoh nearly stealing the show. It was hard to watch the talented Maggie Cheung play the jealous dim-witted girlfriend. Yuen Wah and Kenneth Tsang made excellent bad guys. One of my favorite old kung fu stars, Lo Lieh, made a brief appearance as a general supplying the drugs to the different cartels.

I would like to have seen more hand-to-hand combat, but what there was played out well, no surprise with Yeoh and Chan. The stunts were quite good with Jackie dangling from a helicopter over Kuala Lumpur and Michelle Yeoh landing a motorcycle onto a train. Rumor has it that the stuntman who initially attempted it broke his leg trying the stunt. Michelle Yeoh was able to land the scary jump herself.

Fans of Jackie Chan or Michelle Yeoh movies should be satisfied with Super Cop. The two martial arts stars bring enough daring action and excitement to help overlook the flaws in this film.

17 April 2022

edit--I liked this movie better than Police Story 1 which was graded on my pre-1990's curve so I went ahead and bumped this up to an 8 on the curve because the stunts were just as amazing and the cast was stronger. It also didn't have the 30 minute lull in the middle of the film. 25 March 2024

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Anyone who brings trouble...answers to my fist!

Lo Lieh and Don Wong Tao began this movie as the unstoppable Kung Fu Dynamic Duo of Crime Fighting. Bad guys were no match for these awesome fighters.

Unfortunately, the partnership and fun didn’t last for long, as the synopsis says, Chow Lung (Lo Lieh) died when Meng Hu (Don Wong) accidentally caused his partner’s death. The movie quickly turned into a melodrama and Meng Hu relegated himself to the coward of the county status, vowing to never fight again. Even when Chung Tung and his wicked golden needles skills and gang of miscreants showed up threatening to bring opium to and through town. Even when his new friends’ lives were threatened. This is not one of my favorite tropes. The skilled warrior decides to never fight again because of the loss of one life, but in the process many others are killed. Eventually, the depressed hero decided to act and take on the white-haired needle thrower and his crew. The body count ran pretty high in Fatal Needles.

Don Wong, in his Bruce Lee wig, did well in his fights and portraying the mopey hero. He didn’t add much depth to the character or excitement though. Lo Lieh in his jaunty hat made the most of his brief screen time during the early scenes. Chang Yi, as the white-haired evil doer, had no problem bringing life to his character. There were numerous supporting characters, some more memorable than others. The fighter with what looks like a hairy squid on his chest will not be forgotten.

The fights were adequate, not very creative or fast, but serviceable. Though there was a revenge fight and a duel there were no training scenes, no secret book, no secret list, just a battle against the deadly golden needle thrower and his minions. The final battle between the two elite warriors on opposite sides of the law was weak after all the build-up leading to it.

The women had strong roles even if two of them were prostitutes. Two fought with cunning, another with her fists and kicks. The movie did come to a screeching halt at one point when one of the prostitutes launched into a lengthy anti-drug Public Service Announcement.

Fatal Needles vs Deadly Fists had more story, and though I wasn’t a fan of the trope, more comprehensible story than many old kung fu movies. At times engaging, at other times plodding, Fatal Needles was entertaining overall.

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The road to hell is paved with good intentions or greed, take your pick with this film.

Bruce Lee had started work on Game of Death when he paused it to make Enter the Dragon. Lee died before being able to come back to Game of Death. This movie used 11 minutes that he had filmed previously and added an abysmal story around those minutes using body doubles and clips from other movies.

The story employed for this movie was that actor “Bobby” and his singer girlfriend were being targeted by gangsters to sign with them. “Bobby” ended up faking his death because he kept getting beaten up and later when his girlfriend was kidnapped went on a rampage against the bad guys.

I cannot express in words how awful this spliced together piece was. They used Bruce Lee’s reaction shots from other movies-one an outdoor reaction shot while they were inside, a cardboard cutout of Bruce's face pasted over a double's body, clips from his movies and two doubles who wore sunglasses who didn’t look like him and weren’t even built like him. The fights were slow and poorly choreographed with lots of backflips. Sammo Hung choreographed the fight scenes and it was like he’d never seen a Bruce Lee movie. The story was heavy handed and barely made sense. Worst of all, they used scenes from Bruce Lee’s real funeral and pictures of him in his coffin in this theatrical abomination. The creators of this movie said they were trying to honor Bruce Lee and see that his film was completed, by exploiting his funeral images, that argument went right out the window for me.

The only part of this movie worth watching is near the end for 11 minutes when the real Bruce Lee battled two antagonists, one of whom was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*. This 11 minutes is noteworthy for the quality of the fights and his iconic yellow and black tracksuit which has been used in other movies paying homage such as Kill Bill. The fight with 7’2” (218.44 cm) Abdul-Jabbar has also been immortalized. In the movie Bruce was planning, he would have to go through 5 levels of a pagoda fighting against different masters of different styles, exposing their weaknesses and show how his system was superior. What remained at the time were these two fights which were spectacular. No wires, no flipping around, just amazing fluid lightning-fast moves. The rest of the movie was exposed for its fraud and ineptness with these two fights. Bruce always had to try and slow his moves down for the camera and still his moves were often too fast for the human eye. The rest of the movie’s fights which were plodding had to be sped up at times.

A 10 for the two true Bruce Lee scenes, -500 for this ridiculous attempt to capitalize on those scenes and for using his funeral images for their own putrid gain. There’s a reason Chuck Norris and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would have nothing to do with this movie fearing it was exploitive. Better to check out Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey from 2000 which contains more recently discovered clips from Bruce Lee’s version of Game of Death and his outline for that film. I could highly recommend that documentary, but not this movie. This Game of Death is only for Bruce Lee movie completionists with a high pain threshold.





*For those not familiar with him, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American basketball player, one of the greatest, who dominated the league for years with his legendary Skyhook. Kareem was Bruce Lee's student and friend. He is also a civil rights activist, author, and philanthropist among other things.

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Way too rushed or this would've been better

I was casually checking up for Ding Yuxi's upcoming works on his MDL profile page and came across this movie… the synopsis sounded interesting so I thought of checking it out… but wait what a blunder!

Having read the synopsis I knew this was gonna be a bit of rollercoaster and sad stuff… and it literally went like that… the plot moves with the speed of light, almost 3×10^8 m/s … that's the biggest complain I have here… they don't give you any time to adjust with the changes or understand the characters… the twist are like this, one thing happened, next this happens, then that and that…

the movie is 1 hour 44 minutes long, I wish it was at least 2.5 or 3 hours long… I won't mind the length but the story will be delivered better in that way.

Then they didn't even care to explain us the medical terms and elaborate us about the twists… I see they're crying but give me a reason to cry along with them… Tbh, the story isn't very bad as it seems, the only issue is the execution only if they showed us some basic character build up or some scenes related before verbally saying all the twists…

despite that some small scenes in between with the main leads that are barely of 1-2 minutes each are cute… as a cute pair they look great together but what a waste that the execution sucked… the only thing I am satisfied with is acting… I really hope the same leads work together for a better script… they deserve better…

from the OST lineup… I liked —
♪Accompany you♪ (sang by Yu Jiayun)
♪Ten years of smoke♪ (sang by Tang Hanxiao).

All in all, I don't recommend this to anyone. If you haven't watched any works of the cast before, please refer to their other works before cause this isn't the choice for a first impression.

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ONE OF THE WORST MOVIES I’VE EVER SEEN (WHAT WAS THAT??)

Gun is miscast here. His acting is so awkward that it’s painful to watch. Always spitting, but it doesn’t suit his facial expression or movements. AND THAT VOICE!!! Why did they get THAT dubber to record over his voice?? It’s really laughable!!! Is that Russian? Haha!

Forty minutes into the movie and we still have no idea what the characters are talking about. Is it drugs? It’s not clear. Worst script.

If sadomasochism is your cup of tea, then maybe you’ll enjoy this movie. The first 30 minutes are nothing but nudity, sex, beating, whipping, slapping, pulling hair, kicking, hitting each other, cursing and shouting at each other.

Then, we get to have a respite of about 10 minutes, then it’s M2M sex again!

One hour into the movie and I still have no idea what the characters are talking about. Worst script ever.

Then, it’s over. I have no idea what went on there.

This is like watching a train wreck. You can’t look away. But in the end, you feel empty.

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This movie is not for the light-hearted

I legit made an account just to write a review for this movie . I gave it a five out of ten reasons being it was alright nothing show stopping other than the goerey scenes . The SFX , I would give a 10/10 for their efforts because it was seen.
The plot on the other hand was lacking . You would think for movie that was almost 2hrs would have a decent storyline but it was average .
Watching this movie felt like a fever dream , a nightmare .
I loved it but hated it at the same time .
Would I rewatch ? Maybe if I hated myself yes , all jokes haha don't sue me ;)

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It's worth your time

Like what the headlines said, it really is worth spending your saturday night watching this movie. In fact, unlike most movies where I find them to be sometimes too short for any character development to happen, this movie really utilises its time well.

Let's start with advantages:
Firstly it knows how to grab the viewer's attention. From the very first scene, it convinces you that this movie is worth watching. The intro scene is not creepy, but I'm not sure if others will think the same since I can tolerate horror and thriller. I was smiling at the whole intro, not because I'm a lunatic for smiling at the scene full of dead bodies which gives off a gloomy atmosphere, but because of the set, the details, the acting. When I saw the old lady, of course sshe gives off creepy vibes. She really gave me the chills, and I really appreciated her acting. The starting scene, for me, was so interesting, especially when the face of the corpse came off and was latched onto another person by insects.

Next, the movie does not include useless characters and useless scenes. It goes straight to the point, and every scene progresses the story in a steady pace. However, I do not like the maid's attitude. Her name was Xiao something, I can't remember her name. She kept calling for the officials despite her master telling her that there are no witches in the house. How has he not fired her yet? Or at least give her a good scolding?

Other than that, let's talk about the sets, the makeup, and the costumes. Right after the intro scene is when the movie officially starts. There was a scene when there's a close up shot of the FL, and the makeup was done so neatly! The costumes were definitely not cheap too. It was well designed, especially the appearance of the master of the two demon ladies. The two demon ladies' outfits were nice too, but its just the same type of clothes with different patterns and colours. The set is something more impressive than the other two points. Each and every set, like the part of the street where the ML was selling his paintings, only need a certain part since scenes involving the streets take less than half an hour. But you can see the immaculate details in that scene. The smell of money will hit you right in the face. Movies can sometimes have better qualities than dramas since it is shorter to produce.

Lastly, the ending. Out of all the main characters, only two still lived. Initially, I thought that the Taoist Priest is annoying, something like that monk in The White Snake. But no, he is useful and reasonable, and I'm glad he survived. The other one who lived was the ML. So he has a wife that was extremely sick, and fell in love with the demon, the FL. I thought he's cheating on his wife but it turns out he only respected his wife like how a married couple should, with no intimate feelings whatsoever, but thing is, he couldn't live with her. Why does he feel that way, I also have no idea. It could be an arranged marriage for all we know. On the other hand, he loved the demon lady, but stabbed her in the end knowing she's a demon. He thought that she killed his wife, and told her that he never liked her despite painting her before. After he stabbed her, he stabbed himself. The demon lady sacrificed her life so that he could live, even though he misunderstood her. The ending tore me, and I couldn't ask for a better ending. My favourite line was from the Taoist Priest, "Humans and Demons can never be together". My favorite scene was when the ML discovered the FL's letter. The demon just wants to be loved.

So in the end, the movie still stuck to the realistic side. The ML didn't forgive the FL just because she's the FL. He did according to what he think is right, and as much as I hate him for misunderstanding her, it's completely alright since he had no way of knowing. No one told him anything.

Now, the movie has its downside too.

Firstly, many things were not explained. There are very minor, but it still bothered me a little regardless.

1. Why could the demon pass through the tailsman? It's not like she inhabited the ML's wife's body.

2. The ML is a scholar, given the way he was dressed when he went out. He earns money by selling his paintings, and lives in a lavish house. Given my experience in watching historical dramas and all, a painter that earns money like that, instead of an auction hourse, is usually poor or at least 'middle-class', as they call it.

3.Why is the FL's 'sister' so afraid of the clothes that their master gave them? Maybe I didn't catch on but what's the disadvantage of wearing such clothes? And what are those clothes made of that could cause such disadvantage?

4. Why did their master kill the FL's 'sister' in the end? Because she talked too much to the ML that it eases the tension? She could've helped the master defeat the humans, but the master choose to kill her own people in the most crucial time, how laughable.

5. Where was the ML's wife buried? How did she pass away?

6. Who was the one in the bathtub when the maid ate something and saw the change in face? Is it the FL's 'sister'? Because when the maid ran to find her master, the FL was with him and his wife. So why is the maid convinced that the demon is the FL, but did not think of the fact that some other demon might come uninvited?

And although I've praised the quality of the set, I couldn't praise the set where the FL's 'sister', the officer and the Taoist Priest first fought. They were previously on a street, and the next they were somewhere on a hill. I don't know why, the transition was so smooth, so why didn't I like it? Is it because the set of that scene looks fake? I don't know but what I do know is that I do not enjoy that scene.

Overall, the downside of this movie is minor, so I wouldn't discourage you from watching it. Enjoy!

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This one was good. Set in the "old world", during the series, it centers on the representatives of the three Japanese states and who they are and what plans they are brewing. Their target? Kamen Rider Build!

I loved Sento in this movie, when everyone forgot about him, when everyone - literally! - tried to kill him, mind-controlled by the aliens, and he had to find a way out of this mess completely alone because even Banjo and Misora were against him. And on top of that, he had to listen to Takumi's constant needling about how it was impossible to "fix" Banjo etc. and so on.

Speaking of Takumi, I love the "mind palace" where Sento keeps meeting his other self, all the doors, mirrors and stairs and whatnot. The CGI is perfect and visually, the "room" is stunning!

Also, AFAIR, Sento never told anyone about this, did he? That his personality literally split into Takumi - the him from before - and Sento - the him now. That he has actual conversations with himself, that he can hear and see his other self.

Gosh, Sento... he keeps so many secrets from the others, always shouldering everything, blaming himself for everything. And yet, instead of being all doom and gloom about his guilt, he fights for "Love and Peace". What an amazing character!

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Emotions So Real That Your Heart Can't Help But Wrench..

I just want to start by saying this is the 1st Taiwanese New-Wave film I've ever seen and it was phenomenal! Kuei Mei really captures the struggle women in Taiwan during the 50s had to endure while also including other timeless family issues like gambling & alcoholism. I appreciate how organic and true Kuei Mei's character was written; She wasn't some magically perfect Mary Poppins, instead she is this absolute tank of a REAL woman who cries in frustration when life has her backed into a corner but doesn't give up & fights with what little she has for her family. I feel like the reason I admire Kuei Mei so much is because I see a lot of my own mother in her... This film will pull on your heartstrings and may even bring out some tears too. (Probably will make u not want to get married tho lol) I recommend if you're in the mood to see some REAL family struggles and melodrama and if you're into Taiwanese History :)

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I actually like that it doesn't have much background music, makes it feel more realistic and focus more on how the story goes. I don't think it's for everyone though since it's a bit slow paced. I didn't feel bored watching it but it's not the type of movie that leaves a big impression.

Production is budgeted and it's understandable, it didn't need much cost anyway. I just wish that they omitted the game realm scenes if they're aiming for low budget. It makes the movie look like it's made by amateurs, like those movie made by students for school festivals wherein the staffs are also the actors & they need to rent out costumes. The scene about the giant saving Mi Rae is out of place too like it's a realistic movie and never was fantasy.

Overall for the acting I think it's the story and how it was directed that makes the actors look awkward and lacking. The acting was so-so for me. Even Hwan Hee and Da Bin who are both young but experienced actors didn't show pretty much of their acting skills here. Suho's acting here is okay. Some may argue that he didn't but he did pretty decent compared to that one drama of his. Some can't separate him from being an idol so I think it affects how they see him act. He's a great theatrical actor than a movie actor though.

The only thing that makes me give this a good rating is because I like the aspect wherein opposite gender with an age gap can have a platonic relationship. Also, doing a bucketlist and talking about funeral picture as if it's a casual thing to say is a bit dark but I like how they're preparing to end their lives but ended up saving each other. The movie is not memorable as a whole but I'll remember it as one of those that has a satisfying ending.

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This is a feel good drama to me

This drama is a feel good drama with not a lot of dramtic things in them or suspence .This drama doesnt have any villian or antagonist in it everything is very beautifull. All the friends are very nice people its is a very good drama
This drama is about a girl who has social anixety and wants to change because she doesnt wants to be bullied anymore and their are so many cute moments i personally loved this drama and i will most probably rewatch it when i am in a sad mood
And at last i have to say that the actors were great and that wait for the end of the movie its really good and cute scenes

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It's a cute and light hearted movie with superb acting and worth your time.

It's a really nice movie. The storyline was a bit childish and predictable (I really like fantasy genre and have watched tons of fantasy drama and movies, so it was quite obvious for me) but everything else makes up for it. Everyone acted really well and the soundtrack suited the movie well. I liked how the love story of the leads wasn't rushed but developed slowly. I was a bit disappointed as they had used a dubber for sehun and i really wanted to hear Sehun's voice but his acting was really good and soon i could adapt to the dubber's voice. I would recommend everyone to watch this movie if you want to watch something light-hearted with some humor and cute scenes as well. Special recommendation to cat lovers as they have used really good animations for cats and all of their scenes are really cute and humorous. Your time won't be wasted so give it a shot.

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